Deck the Pauls
by The Mocking J
Summary: The Laytons have just settled down for Christmas dinner, when an uninvited guest shows up.


**[[ _A request for rocketshippergirl._**

 **Spoilers: _For AL, CV and LF._**

 **Set: _After LF with established Layton/Emmy._ ]]**

* * *

 **Deck the Pauls**

"Luke, so help me, if you steal anymore cranberry sauce I will cook you with this turkey."

"Sorry," Luke winced, wiping his mouth. "It just tastes so good!"

Since it was her first Christmas with Hershel and the children, Emmy was determined to make dinner. Flora had agreed to prepare the table on the condition that she could take care of desert. ("Eggnog noodles!") The table was adorned with a red cloth, cinnamon scented candles and characterized nameplates. Flora was a penguin, Luke was an elf, Emmy was a reindeer and Hershel was a top-hatted snowman. There were two places for Roland and Lucille (Santa and Mrs. Claus), but they wouldn't arrive for another half hour thanks to heavy traffic.

Hershel entered the kitchen and complimented Flora's decorating skills. Emmy turned to smile at her husband, but then she gasped, "Somebody shut the door—!"

"Too late," Flora laughed as their golden retriever bounded into the kitchen.

"Down, Violet, _down!"_ Emmy shooed her away, shielding the oven.

Luke led Violet to her dog bowl with a mini sausage, which she devoured in one bite. However, her ears twitched when she lifted her head.

"Did you hear something?" Luke asked. Violet bolted from the room.

"I'd take that as a yes," Hershel followed Violet out to the living room, wondering what had caught her attention. He found her sniffing at the fireplace. Something was scrabbling down the chimney. Violet started barking.

"What's going on?" Flora called as she, Luke and Emmy rushed into the living room. Their eyes widened as a wave of dust landed in the fireplace. (The fire was unlit, thankfully.)

"C-could it be… _Santa_?" Luke breathed. He and Flora looked at each other in excitement.

Instead of a merry _"Ho ho ho!"_ they heard a mischievous _"Nyeh heh heh!"_. The sinister laugh became a scream as a sooty figure fell from the chimney. There was a cough. "Don't you ever _clean_ that thing?"

Emmy stepped in front of her flabbergasted family. "Who are you?"

The intruder straightened his back and boomed, "I am the Ghost of Christmas Reckoning, here to destroy the Layton name!" He rolled his eyes at the growling Violet. "Shut up, mutt." Flora held her back by the collar.

"So nice of you to join us… Paul," Hershel said.

Emmy raised an eyebrow. "You know this person?"

"Paul was in the year above me at university—"

"The name's _Don Paolo!"_

"He's the professor's _enemy,"_ Luke growled.

"Not anymore," Hershel shook his head. "Remember, we resolved our differences during the… incident with Future London."

"That was a _temporary_ truce," Don Paolo spat. "I was willing to uphold it until you went and married this floozy!" He stabbed a finger at Emmy.

 _"'Floozy'?"_ Hershel grabbed Emmy's hand before she could hit Don Paolo. She snarled, "Why do you care that I married Hershel? I've never even met you before!"

"He disgraced Claire's memory," Don Paolo let out a long sniff. "And now… now, Claire's gone, but he still has a family to celebrate Christmas with. How is that fair?"

"Um, Mr. Paolo…" Flora piped up. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

Don Paolo blinked at her before wiping his nose in his sleeve. "W-what? As if! I'm going to _ruin_ dinner by eating all your food. Y-yeah, that's the plan. It better taste good." He marched towards the kitchen, trailing soot across the floor. He had spied on Layton's house so many times that he knew his way around.

"Oh no you don't!" Luke yelled as he, Flora and Violet ran after the 'villain'.

"Forgive me, Emmy," Hershel sighed. "It seems we have acquired a new guest. I did wonder what he would make of our wedding."

"It's not your fault," Emmy muttered. "I can't believe he said that about Claire…"

"Paul can be quite… protective of Claire, considering his feelings for her in the past," Hershel rubbed Emmy's shoulders. "Try not to take his words to heart. I have no doubt Claire would be happy for us." He guided her into the kitchen. "Come on, we should make sure there's some food left for Ma and Pa."


End file.
